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MESSAE
R.EAD TV
CONGRESS
No Tariff Revision
For the Present.
NICARAGUAN TROU7E,
Irresponsible Nations Not Pro
tected by Monroe Doctri.e.
A DEFICIT OF $73,075,6010
legislation Urged Against In.
junctions Without Notice.
Washington, Dec. 7.-In his annual
message, read to congress. President
Taft said:
To the Senate and the House of Rep
resentatives:
The relations of the United States
with all foreign governments have con
tinued upon the normal basis of amity
and good understanding and are ver.
generally satisfactory.
Europe.
The American rights [in the fisheries
on the north Atlantic coast] under the
fisheries article of the treaty of I81S
have been a cause of difference be
tween the United States and Great
Britain for nearly seventy years. The
interests involved are, of great impor
tance to the American fishing industry-.
and the final settlement of the contro
v-ersy [by the permanent court of ar
bitration at The Haguel will remove
a source of constant irritation and com-.
plaint. This is the first case involvingm
such great international questions
which has been submitted to the per
manent court of arbitration at' The
Hague..
SNegotiations for an international
conference to consider and reach an
arrangement providing for the preser
vation and protection of the fur seals
in the north Pacific are in progress
-with t lie governments of Great Britain,
Japan and Russia. The attitude of
the governments interested leads me
to hope for a satisfactory settlement of
this question as the ultimate outcome
of the negotiations.
The Near East.
The quick transition of the govern
ment of the Ottoman empire from one
of retrograde tendencies to a consti
tutional government wvith a parlia
.ment and with progressive modern
policies of reform and public improve
ment is one of the important phenome
na of our times. Constitutional gov
ernment seems also to have made
further advance in Persia. These
events have turned the eyes of the
world upon the niear east. in that
quarter the prestige of the United
states has spread widely through the
peaceful intluence of American schools,
universities and missionaries. There
is every reason why we should obtain
a greater share of the commerce of the
Dear- east since the conditions are
more. favorable now than ever before.
Latin America.
One of the happiest events in recent
pan-American diplomacy was the pa
citic, inidependent set tlement by the
governments of lBolivia and Peru of a
bo)undaJry difference between them..
which for some weeks thlreatened to
cause war and eveni to entrain im
bitterments affecting other rep)ubile~s
less directly concerned.
Our Citizens Abroad.'
This administration, through the de
partment of state and the foreign serv
ice, is lending all proper support to
2egitimate and beneficial American en
-terprises in foreign countries, the de
-gree of such support being measured
by the national advantages to be ex-'
-pected. A citizen himself cannot' by'
-contract or otherwise divest himself
of the right, nor can 'this government
~scape the obligation, of his protec
tion in his personal and property
-ights when these are unjustly in
'frin'ged in a foreign country. To avoid
ceaseless vexations it is proper that in
considering whether American enter
prise should be encouraged or support
'ed in a particular country the govern
ment should glve full weight not only
Ito the 'national as opposed to the indi
'iduial benefits to accrue,' but also to
the fact wihether or not the govern
ment of the country in question is in
its administration and in its diplomacy
faithful to the principles of modera
tion, equity and justice upon which
alone depends international credit in
diplomacy as well as in finance.
The Monroe Doctrine.
The pan-American policy of this
government has long been fixed in its
principles and remains unchanged.
~With the changed circumstances of the
Utnited States and of the republics to
the south of us, most of which have
great natural resources, stable govern
men and progressive ideals, the ap
prehension which gave rise to the
Monroe doctrine may be said to have
nearly disappeared. and t-ither the
doctrine as it exists nor any other doc
trine of American p>licy should be
permitted to operate for the perpetua
tion of irrespousible gover:mnc4t. t
escape of just oligatic-ns or t1le insidi
ous allegation of uomiinatig ambitions
on the part of the United StaLes.
My meeting with President Diaz and
the greeting exchanged on both Amer
ican and Mexican soil served. I hope.
to signalize the close and cordial reia
tions which so well bind toget her 1I.
republic and the great republi imme
diately to the south, between whichi
there is so vast a network of material
interests.
I aui happy to say that oll but one
of the cases which for so lon- vextu
our relations with Venezuela have
been settled within the past few
months and that. under the enlight
ened regime now directing the govern
ment (if Vene::nel. provision has h
made for ariA tra Ciou (f tle rt-:101 -.i !
case before The Hague tribun:l.
On July 30, 1109, the government of
Panama agreed. after considerable ne
gotiation. to indemnify the relatives of
the American olficers and sailors who.,
were brutally tlreated. one of thei:
having. ideed. I;xen killed by the
Panaman police this year.
This government was obliged to In-:
tervene diplomatically to bring about
arbitration or settlement of the claim
of the Emery company against Nica
ragua. which it had long before been
agreed should be arbitrated. A settle
ment of this troublesome case was
reached by the signature of a protocol
on Sept. 18, 1909.
*Many years ago diplomatie interven
tion became necessary to the protof
tion of the interests in the American
claim of Alsop & Co. against the
government of Chile. The govern
ment of Chile had frequently admitted
obligation in the case and had prom
ised this government to settle it. There
had been two abortive attempts to do
so through arbitral commissions, which
failed through lack of jurisdiction.
Now, happily, as the result of the re
cent diplomatic negotiations, ihe gov
ernments of the United States and of
Chile, actuated by the sincere desire
to free from :ny strain those cordia!
and friendly relations upon whi-h both
set such store. have agreed by a proto
col to submit the controversy to defll
Itive settlement by his Britannic ma jes
ty Edward VII.
The Nicaraguan Trouble.
Since the Washington conventions of
1907 were communicated to the gov
erunent of the United States as a con
suting and advising party this got
enent has been almost continuously
called upon by one or another and in
turn by all of the five Central Amner
kan republics to exert itself for the
maintenance of the conventions. Nea
ly every complaint has been against
the Zelaya government of Nicaragua.
which has kept Central A merica in
constant tension or turmoil. The re
sponses made to tihe representationls of
Central American repuiblies as due
from the United States on account ~of
its r-elation to the Washington c-onven
tions have been at all times consen~ a
tive and have avoided, so far as possi
ble, any semblance of Iiterference. al
though it is very appareult that the
consideration]s of geographic proxi mity
to the canal zone and of the very sub
stantial A mericani interests in Central
America give to the United States a
special position in the zone of these~
republics and the Caribbean sea.
I need not rehearse here the 'patient
efforts of this government to pr-omote
peace and welfare among these re
publics, efforts which are fully appre
cia ted by the majority of them who
are loyal to their true interests. It
would 'be no less unnecessary to re
hearse here the sad tale of -unspeak
able barbarities and oppression alleged
to have been committed by .the Zelaya
government. Recently two Amecricans
were put to death by order of Presi -
dent Zelaya himself. They were ofii
cers In the organized forces qf a rev
olution which had continued many
weeks and was in control of about
half of the republic, and as such, n
cording to tne modern enlightened
practice of civilized nations, they were
entitled to be dealt with as prisoners
f war.
At the date when this message i.
p)rinted this government has term!i
nated diplomatic relations with the
Zelaya government for reasons made
public in a comniunicationl to the for
me- Nicaraguan charge d'affaires and
is intending to take such futur-e steps1
as may be found most consistent with
its dignity, its duty to American in
terests and its moral obligations to
Central America and to civilization. It
may later be necessary for me to bring
this subject to the attention of thel
congress In a special message.
In the Far East.
In the far east this government pre
serves unchanged its policy of support
ing the principle of equality of oppo
tunity and scrupulous respect for the
integrity of the Chinese empire, to
which policy are pledged the interest1
ed powers of both east and west.
By the treaty of 1903 China has un-,
dertaken the abolition of likin with a
moderate and proportionate raising of
the customs tariff along with currency
reform. These reforms beIng a mani
fest advantage to foreign commerce as
well as to the interests of China, this
government is endeavoring to facili
tate these measures and the needful
acquiescence -of the treaty powers.
When it appeared that Chinese likin
revenues were to be hypotheeated to
foreign bankers In connection with a
great railway p)roject it was obvious
that the governments whose nationals
held this loan would have a certain
direct interest in the (!uestion of the
carrying out by China of tihe reforms
in question. The administration deem
ed American participation to be of
gr+esatnini Interet Innily. when
It was as a matter of broad poli-3 ur
gent that this opportuiy should ui
be lost. the indispensable i;mnu..
ity presented itself win a grouip C
American baiOrs of internati;.a!
reputation and great Irnre1agr1::
at once to shore in the 11:,1: u 1 i
cisely such terms 1 I1tis ver:. -
should approve. The chief of tl;se
terms was that .\merie:mk raihvy m
terial should be upon mn exac equality
with that of the other nationals join
ing in the loan in the plaving of or
ders for this whole railroad system.
After months of negotiation the eciual
participation of Americans seems :it
last assured.
In one of the Chinese-Japanese ezrn
ventions of Sept. I of this year there
was a provision which causvled co;:id
erable public apprehesion, in thz:
upon its face it was believed in some
quarters to seek to establish at monop
oly of mining privileges along the
South Manchurian and Atun;r--\uk
den railroads and tius x !l,I,
Americans from a wide Ie-l o --
prise, to'take part in whl!ich they wi
by treaty with China entitled. After
a thorough examinatiol of the conven
tious and of the several contextual
documents the secretary of state reach
ed the conclusion that no stich monol)
oly was intended or accomplished.
This government made inquiry of the
iruperial Chinese and Japanese gVv
ernments and received from each offi
cial assurance that the provision had
no purpose incon-istent with the poli
cy of equality of opportunity to which
the signatories, In common with the
United States. are pledged.
Our traditional relations with the
Japanese empire continue cordial. as
usual. The arrangement of 190; for
a co-operative control of the coin1g
of laborers to the United .States has
proved to work satisfactorily. The
matter of a revision of the existing
treaty between the United States and
Japan ivhich is terminable in 1912 is
already receiving the study of both
countries.
The Department of State.
1 earnestly recommend to the favor
able action of the co1ngress the est
mates submitted by the department of
state and most especially he legis:i
tion suggested in the secretary of
state's letter of this date whereby it
will be possible to develop anud make
permanent the reorganizativit of the
department upon modern lines in a
manner to make it a tloroughly ef
ficient instrument in the furtherance
of our foreign trade and of American
interests abroad.
Under a provision of the act of Aug.
5, 1909, 1 have appointed three offlcials
to assist the ofdic3rs of the government
in collecting inJformaition necessary to
a wise administrationi of the tariff' act
of Aug. 5, 1909. As to questions of
customs administratIOn they are co
operating with the offieials of the
treasury department and as to matters
of the needs and the exigencies of our
manufacturers and exporters with- t he
department of commerce and labor in
its relation to the domestic aspect of
the subject of foreigu commerce.
As a consequence of section 2 of the
tariff act of Aug. 5, 1909. it ho'comies t he
duty of the secretary of state to con
duct as diplomatic b)usiiess tall the
negotiations nIecessary to place him In
a position to advise ime as to w 1et hen
or not a partic-ular counltrty nnduLe dis
criminates aiga inst thme Uniit ed St ates~
in the sense of thle stai tute referred to.
Government Expenditures and Rev
enues.
Pehtaps the most important <ques
tion presented to this ad min mist i-a lion
is that of economy in expeniditulres and
sufficiency of revenue.
The report of the secretary shows
that the ordinary expenditures for the
current fiRcal year ending ,June 30.
1910, will exceed the estimiated re
ceipts by $34,075,tt..0. if to this deticit
are added the sum to be disbursed for
the Panama canal, amounting to $38,
000,000, and $1,000,000 to be paid on
the public debt, the deficit of ordinary
receipts and expenditures wilt be in
creased to a total deficit of ST3.075,6520.
This deficit the secretary proposes to
meet by the proceeds of bonds issued
to pay the cost of constructing the
Panama canal. I approve this pro
posal.
The Panarna Canal.
The pclicy of paying for the corn
struction of the Panama canal not
out of current revenue, but by bond
issue, was adopted, in the Spooner act
of 1902, and there seems to Le no good
reason for departing from the princi
pie by which a part at least of the
burden of the cost of the canal shall
fall upon our posterity, who are to
enjoy it, and there is all the more rea
son for this view becanse the actual
cost to date of the canal, which is now
half done and which will be completed
Jan. 1, 1915, shows that the cost of
engineering and construction will be
$297,766,000 Instead of $139,705.200, as
originally estimated. In addition to
engineering and construction, the oth
er expenses, including sanitation and
government and the amount paid for
the properties, the franchise and the
privilege of building the canal, in
crease the cost by $75,435,000 to a
total of $375,201,000. The increase in
the cost of engineering and construc
tion is due to a substantial e,nlarge
ment of the plan of construction by
widening the canal 100 feet In the Cu
iebra cut and by increasing the di
mensions of the locks, to the under
stimate of the quantity of the work
to be done under the original plan and
to an underestimate of th.e cost of la
bor and materials, both of -which have
reatly enhanced in price since the
original estimate was made.
Government Economy.
In order to avoid a deficit for the
ensuing fisea'l year I directed the
heads. of departments in the prepara
ien of their estimates to make them
as low as possible censistent with im
perative governmental necessity. The
..s.m. hseean, a T am ndvised by
the secretary of the treasury, that the
estimates of the expenses of the gov
ernmeut for the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1911-that is, for the next
fiscal year-are les by $5-~>.I.0
th:tn the totl of approplinDions flr
Ci,e cu.rren:.~ s. :,ea and iie l ess h.
.U ( t;,:I:i thc esi a flna, 11 i* ..Lt
year. So a Is th sere>':v of the
treasury is .bl:e to forl ju. iiin as
to future income, there will be no
deficit in the year endln-; June 30. 1.;11.
but n small surplus of $712.0.:0.
Inl the preselt estiates tle needs
of the departIeIts and of the gov
ernmet lve beon cut t the quick.
For the purpuse Of securing infrila
tion which may enable the executive
and the lcgia:: :nhes to uni:. I
inl a planl fi)r the perllailent redul I
,i the cost of governmental adnins
tration the treasury department has
lnstituted an investigation by one of
the most skilled expert accountants in
the United States. The object of '
invest ig q ion is to devise means tJo e I -
Crease the a-Norige villicency of c-:i1
employee. There is !re::t rusor I :! -
provement toward this end. I-OLtB:.
by the reorganizaticn of bureaus and
depr1,tments and in the avolda-ce of
dupliention. but also in the treatient
of the individual employee.
Under the present system it constant
ly happeas that two etuployees receive
the same salary when the work of one
is far more difficult and important and
e:wun!g than that of the other. Su
perior ability is not rewarded or en
eou ra-ed.
Civil Pensions.
As the degree. of efficiency in all the
departments is much lessened by the re
tention of old employees who have out
lived their energy and usefulness it
is Indispensable to any proper system
of economy that provision be made so
that their separation from the service
shall be ensy and inevitable. It is im
I possible to make such provision unless
there is adopted a plan of civil pen
sions. We cannot. in view of the ad
vancing prices of'living. hope to save
money by a reduction in the standard
of salaries paid. Indeed, if any change
is made in that regard an increase
rather than a decrease will be neces
sary. and the only means of economy
will be in reducing the number of
employees and in obtaining a greater
average of etliciency from those re
tained in the service.
Frauds In the Collection of Customs.
I regret to refer to the fact of the
discovery of extensive frauds in ihe
collection of the customs revenue at
New York city, in which a number of
the subordinate employees in the
weighing and other departments were
directly concerned and in which the
beneficiaries were the American Sugar
Refining company .and others. .The
frauds consisted in the payment of du
ty on underweights of sugar. The gov
ernment has recovered from the Amer
ican Sugar Refining company all that
it is shown to have been defrauded of.
The sum was received in full of the~
amount due which might have been
recovered by civil action against the
beneficiary of the fraud, but there was
an~ excess reservation in the contract
of settfement by which the settlement
should not interfere with or prevent
Ithe criminal prosecution of every one
who was found to be subject to the
same.
Criminal prosecutions are now pro
ceeding against a number of the gov
ernenit officers. The treasury de
prtment and the department of jus
tie are exerting every effort to dis
cover all t he wvrongde-ers. including t he
oie.rs and employees of the compa
nies who may have been prIvy to the
fraud. It would seem to me that an
investigation of the frauds by conl
gress at present, pending the probing
by the tre'asury department and the
department of justice, as proposed.
might by giving immunity and other
wise prove an embarrassment in se
uring convictIon of the guilty parties.
Maximum and Minimum Clause In
Tarif' Act.
Two features of the new tariff act
call for special reference. In order
that the matxi mum duty shall be charg
ed against the imnports from a country
it Is necessary that the executive shall
find ou the' p:art of that country not
only discrimuinations i:i its laws or the
practice uinder t hem angainst the trade
of the United States, but thait the dis
rinations found shl~l be undue
tht is. wit hout good and fair reaso'c.
No one is seeking a tariff war or a een
dition in which t he splirit of rCtaliaion)1
shall be aroused.
Tar-n Readjust;at.
Thue newv tariff law enables me to alp
point a tariff bojird to assist me in (e-o:I
nection with the depar-tmenlt of state in
the administration) of the minimum and
maximuml clause of the act and also to
assist officeers of the g-overnmenlt in the
administration of the entire Inw. I be
ieve that the work of this, board will
be of prime utility and importance
whenever congress shall deem it wise
again to readjust the customs duties.
If the facts secured by the tariff board
are of such a character as to show gen
erally that the rates of duties imposed
by the present tariff law are excessive
Iunder the p)rinciples of protection as
described in the platform 'f the suc
cessful pcarty at the late election I
shall not hesitate to invite the atten
tion of congress to this fact and to the
necessity for action predicated there
on. Nothing, however, halts business
and interferes with the course of pros
perity so much as the threa iened revi
sion of the tariff, and until the facts
are at hand, after careful and deliber
ate investig:ation, upon which such re
viincn pr-opely bie undertaken, it
seems to 1un u:nwise to attemit it.
War Department.
In tile interest of immediate econ
amv I have required a reductionl in
e e: m"s of the war department
- the coming fiscal year which
-ings the total estimates down to an
. .-un fotyfie millions less than
,he corresponding estimates for last
rear. This could be accomplished only
5y cutting off new projects and sus
pending for the period of one year :i
progress in military ialt--rs. Fwr ti.
ame reason I have directed lii.t i
irmy shall not be recruilod u. V) i'
present authorizcdL s:.gth. The:
measures can l ! ! e aeh
temporary, for I :.ml sure that t: i::
terests of the military establisim-.it
are seriously in need of careful con
sideration by congress.
The secretary of war calls attention
to a number of needed chan.nes in tiie
rmy. in all of whih I conc:ur. but tle
point upon which I place most e:n
phasis is the need for an eliminati-n
bill providing a method by which the
merits of officers shall have some ef
feet upon their adanceient and by
which the advancement of all may be
accelerated by the effective elimination
of a definite proportion of the least
efficient.
The military and naval joint btiord.
Lave unanimously agreed Chat it would
be unwise to make the large expendi
tures which at one time were contem
plated in the establishment of a naval
base and station in the Philippine Is
lands and have expressed their judg
ment, in which I fully concur. in fa
vor of making an extensive naval base
at Pearl Harbor. near Honolulu, and
not in the Philippines.
The Navy.
The return of the battleship fleet
from Its voyage around the world in
more efficient condition than when it
started was a noteworthy event of in
terest alike to dur citizens and the
naval authorities of the world. The
marked success of the ships in steam
ing around the world in all weatUt-rs
on schedule time has increased respect
for our navy and has added to our na
tional prestige.
It is a regrettable fact that the
higher officers are old for the respon
sibilities of the modern navy, and the
admirals do not arrive at flag rank
young enough to obtain adequate train
ing in their duties as flag oticers.
Owing to the nece.wity for economy
in expenditures. I have directed I 'e
curtailment of recommendations for
naval appropriations so that they are
thirty-eight millions lvss than the cor
responding estimates of last year. and
the request for new naval construction
is limited to two first class haui iles;ips
and one repair vessel.
The secretary of the navy has inau
gurated a tentative plan invoh-ing (er
tain changes in the organizalion of the
navy department, including the nivy
yards, all of which have been found
by the attorney general to be in ac
cordance with law. I have approved
the execution of the plan proposed be
cause of the greater efficiency and
economy It promises.
Department of Justice-Expedition In
Legal Procedure.
The deplorable delays ini the admin
istration of civil and criminaf la w have
received the attention of committees of
the American Bar association and of
many state bar associations as well as
the considered thought of judges and
jurists. In my judgment, a change in
public procedure. with a view to re
ducing its expense to private litigants
in civil cases and facilitating the dis
patch of business and final decision in
both .civil and criminal cases, consti
tutes the greatest need in our Ameri
can institutions. I do not doubt for
one nmoment that much of the lawless
violence and cruelty exhibited in lynch
ings are directly due to the uncertain
ties and injustice growing out of the
delays in trials, judgments and t he exe
cutions thereof by our-courts.
I therefore recommend legislation
providing for the appointment by the
president of a commission with author
ity to examine the law and equity
procedure of the federal courts of first
instance, the law of appeals frunm
those courts to the courts of appeals
and to the supreme court and the costs
imposed in such procedure upon the
prvate litigants and up)on the public
treasury and make recommendation
with a view to simplifying and ex
pediting the procedure as far as pos
sible and making it as inexpensive as
may be to the litigant of little means.
The platform of the successful party
in the last election contained the fol
lowing:
Injunctions Without Notice.
"We believe that the rules df p)roce
dure in the federal courts with respect
to the Issuance of the writ of injune
tion should be more accurately defined
by statute and that no injunction or
temporary restraining order should beI
issued without notice. except where
irreparable injury would result from
delay. in- which ense a1 speedy hearin:
thereafter should be grantPd."
I recommend that in compliance with.
the promise thus made appropriate leg
slation be adopted. Moreover,. every
such. injunction or restraining order
issued without previous notice and op
portunity by tbe defendant to be beard
should by force of the %tatute expire
and be of no efrect after seven days
from the issuance thereof or within
any time less than that period which'
the court may fix uinIess within such
seven days or such less period the in
junction or order is extended or re
newed after previous notica and op
portunity to be beard.
Anti-trust and Interstate Commerce
Laws.
The jurisdiction of' the general gov
ernet over int'irstate commerce has
led to the passage of the so ce fled
"Sherman anti-trust law" and the "In
terstate commerce law" and its
amendments. The developments in the
operation of those laws call for a dis
cussion and some suggestions as to
amendments. These I prefer to em
body in a special mzessage.
Postofice Department - Second Class
Mail Matter.
The deficit every- year in the post
offic deparment s largely caused by
rle low ratt of Post.',e Ot i cent
pound charged on -econd auss ma
matter, which includes not only new
papers, but nint:zitnes and iniscella
ieous period ir-a: . T1 1e t uail hiss grow
ing out ol tho transmissitin of Ihis
econd cla; m..i! matter at Ient a
[)ound m1 niilts t ( nht Pun t$1,Oi.h)0 a
ear. Tlie average (st of the trans
portation of this matter is irore tha
D cents a pound. The statisties of 190
show that second class riail matter
constituted Wo.91 per ce:t of the
weihlz f all the mail a-id yielded
only 5.19 per cent of the r.-venue.
The figures given are startling and
show the payment by iie government
of an enormous subidy to the news
papers. magazines a.id periodicals. A
great saving might be made. ainount
ing to much wore th tm llf of the Ioss.
by imposing upotn magazine: and peri
odicals a higher rat.- of postage.
Po:t. SavaZs Sanks.
1 .vQ i:;. .. samg. bOankIs to be
d o ba-nl:ing-"4 f::61141ties :,d
to . - stm-*ni wvc-ald 4fer an
hae-umnulation of
- ~ ~ . --I i% funs-stsatory
i sound principle
-: :-t--sful trial in nearly
all 1!1(. com:rios -.f 1ie world. for the
y:. "o gVrltment guaraity of
de o, w beig tidon btend i,svveral.
we:ei; 4t.it which. with deference
to tho who r:ocate it. seems to me
to h:ve in it flih seeds of demitraliza
tion to conservative banking and cer
tain financial disaster.
Ship Subsidy.
.Following the course of my distin
guished predecessor, I earnestly rec
ommend to congress the consideration
and passage of a ship subsidy bill.
Interior Department-New Mexico and
Arizona.
The successful party in the last elec
tion in its national platform declared
in favor of the admission as separate
states of New - Mexico and Arizona,
and recommend that legislation ap
propr.ate to this end be adopted.
Alaska.
With respect to the territory of Alas
ga, I recowiendl legislation which
shall provide for the. appointment by
the president of a governor and also
of an executive council, the members.
of which shall during their 'term of
office reside in the territory and which
shall have legislative powers sufficient
to enable it to give to the territory lo
cal laws adapted to its present growth.
I strongly deprecate legislation looking
to the election of a territorial legisla
ture in that vast district.
Conservation of Natural .Resources.
In several oepartments there Is pre
sented the necessity for legislation
looking to the further conservation of
our national resources, and the sfl
fet is one of such importance as tt
require a more detailed and extended
discussion than can be entered upon
in this communication. For- that 'rea
son. I shall take an early opportunity
to send a special message to congress.
The White Slave Trade.
,There is urgent necessity for addi
tional legisiation and greater executive
activity to suppre'ss the recruiting of
the ranks of p)rostitutes from the
streams of imlimigration into thmis '' cou
try-an evil wvhich, for want' of -a b et
ter name, has b)eenr called '7the white
slave trade."
'Bureau of H eaithr
There seemis to be no reason) wh: all
the bu.reaus amnd offices in the geia-ral
government which have to don witth
the publie health .or subjects ain
thereto should not be -united in a bu
reau to be called the "bureau of pub
lie health."
Political Contributions
I urgently recommend to congressI
that a law be passed requirig that
candidates in elections of membwrs of
the house of r-'presenmtatives and com
mittees in: charge of t.heirs candidacy
and campaign file in a proper office of
the United States government a state
ment of the contributions received and .
of the expenditures incurred .In the
campaign for such elections and that
similar legislation be enacted in re
spet to all other elections which are
constitutionally within the control of'
congres.
Conclusion.
Speaking generally. the country Is
in a. high state of prosperity. "There is
every reason to believe that we are on
the eve of a substantial business ex
panslon. and we have just garnered a
harvest unexampled in the market val
ne of our agricultural products. -The
h1gb prices which such pr'oducts' bring
mean great p)rosperity for the farming
community; but, on the other hand,
they mean a very considerably increas
ed burden upon those classes in the
coumnnity whose yearly 'omipensatica
does not.expand with the improvement
In business and the general prosper'it.
Various reasons are given for the high
prices. -The proportionate increase in
-the output of gold, which today Is the --
chief medium of exchauge and is in
some respects a measure of value, fur
nishes a substantial explanation of at
least part of the increase in prices.
The increase in population and the
more expensive mode of living of the
people, which have not been accom
panied by a proportionate increase,,nf
acreage production, may furnish a -fur
ther reason. It is well to '.ote that the
increase in the cost of living is not ---
confied to this country, but p)revails
the world over, and that those who
would charge increases In prices to the
existing protective tariff must meet
the fact that the rise in prices has
taken place almost wholly. in those
rodcts of the factory and farm in
resect to v;hichi thero has been either
no increase in the tariff or in many
Instances a very considerable reduc
tion.